The DeLand-Deltona Beacon

The ordeal was over, and DeBary Mayor Bob Garcia had had a night to sleep on it. "I feel so great that my name has been exonerated. I have not violated the charter," Garcia said Dec. 3, the day following a City Council hearing on the matter. Garcia had opened the City Council meeting the night befor ... Full Story »

The Hispanic American Youth Group of Deltona, whose folkloric dancers and musicians are spotted at schools and events all over the county, has been invited to dance in the Dominican Republic in March. Dominican Republic YMCA National Executive Director Andres Fortunato saw the Hispanic American You ... Full Story »

UPDATE 6:35 A.M. THURSDAY, DEC. 3 Showers and some storms passed through during the night. No tornadoes or damage have been reported. Look for more rain to move in tomorrow afternoon. Up to 2 or 3 inches of rain is forecast. REPORTED EARLIER: At 7:45 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 2, the National Weather ... Full Story »

The DeLand Jaycees 61st Annual Christmas Parade will begin at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5, traveling south on Woodland Boulevard from the Stetson University campus to Melching Field at Conrad Park. Click here to download pdf of rules, map and additional information. Click here to guess who this ye ... Full Story »

The Friday after Thanksgiving may be the biggest day of the year in shopping malls, but the Saturday before Thanksgiving is a whopper at U-pick citrus operations, where ripe and fragrant fruit is the traditional harbinger of the holidays. People load up on satsumas, navels and grapefruit to share wi ... Full Story »

The Christmas charity called Santa’s Elves arose from the ashes of a house fire 24 years ago, as firefighters were joined by neighbors in trying to offset losses with goodness. What was supposed to be a one-time initiative morphed into an unbroken Christmas tradition, and the organization became k ... Full Story »

The DeLand Jaycees have released the clues to the identity of this year's parade marshal. The marshal will lead the 61st edition of the DeLand Jaycees Christmas Parade, which begins at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5, on Woodland Boulevard in Downtown DeLand. There were several nominations this year. "T ... Full Story »

Florida Hospital-DeLand will break ground Tuesday, Dec. 1, on an outpatient center at Victoria Park. “I am excited to see this project become a reality,” said Daryl Tol, CEO and president of Florida Hospital-DeLand. “Victoria Medical Park will be a wonderful addition to the community, allowing ... Full Story »

Unwilling to accept the Volusia County School Board decision to send some Deltona students to a new high school in Orange City, the Deltona City Commission is ready for a formal challenge. Without objection, the City Commission Nov. 16 vowed to urge the School Board to change its mind on school rezo ... Full Story »

Orange City is using a free information service, Nixle, to send alerts to its citizens. At a recent Orange City Council meeting, Police Chief Jeff Baskoff and Sgt. Greg Lariscy presented the service. “The greatest task is getting information to people,” Baskoff said. Nixle is a free online com ... Full Story »

Adding lanes to a busy highway in Southwest Volusia may be delayed because of a lack of cash and a city’s unwillingness to pledge money for the project. Although many Deltona residents use State Road 415 to commute to and from work in the Orlando area, the City Commission Nov. 16 rejected a reques ... Full Story »

It’s fall, and the weather is at least cool occasionally, making outdoor activities even more appealing. For those who enjoy the serenity of stargazing, marshmallow-roasting, or just communing with nature, camping on St. Johns River Water Management District lands has something to offer, spokesman ... Full Story »

DeBary has scheduled a hearing to investigate whether its mayor broke a rule in the city charter. During its regular meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 2, the City Council will hear evidence and decide whether Mayor Bob Garcia broke the rules when he spoke to DeBary Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Seel ... Full Story »